EACH week ECHO Education salutes a pupil deserving a big pat on the back.

Stepping into the limelight today is 15-year-old Rachel Eden.

The teenager was put forward by impressed teachers at De La Salle secondary school in St Helens.

Her nomination recognises the raft of roles she undertakes.

This includes being part of the school council which ensures students’ views are heard.

She is also among students known as “listeners”.

Their roles is to ensure pupils can, in confidence, turn to other students in times of distress.

Working with the school’s art department she was also instrumental in creating an installation which examined issues surrounding hate crime.

The piece and work around it led to the school being a runner-up in the national Speaker’s School Council award and she has since spread the anti-prejudice message in borough-wide workshops on hate crime.

“She is a role model, “ said Jo Millea, art and design assistant subject leader.